Improved mosaic covering for floors



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.SHADRACH H. PEARCE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. Letters Patent No. 91,364, dated .Tune 15, 1869.

w h IMPROVE!) MOSAIC COVERING FOR FLOORS.

, 1., The Schedule referred tain these Letten Patent and makngpaxt of the same.

covering for tloors, 8m., the design of which, formed by the various colors, is comparatively imperishable, and will remain permanently undefaced by use, and is easily repaired, by replacing with new any injured sections, its oost heilig less than that of an ordinary mosaic floor, while, from its elastic nature, it is easily adjusted To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SHADRACH H. PEARCE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Mosaic Coverings for Floors, Ste., 4of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part ot'. this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspecttve view of' my improved Inosaic covering applied to aiioor.

Figure 2 is a section on the line :11 :c of iig.'1.

Figure' 3, a perspective view of one ofthe pieces or sections of which my improved mosaic covering is comoscd. L.ilzfosa'icrioors have hertot'orebeen composed of s'ec' tional blocks, or tiles of clay, stone, glass, or wood, of various sizes, forms, and colors, laid in hydraulic cement, or otherwise, to produce'the pattern desired.

A'mosaic floor thus formed, especially when laid upon wooden foundations, is objectionable, for the followingr reasons, viz:

lt is inelastic, and does not yield to the expansion and contraction of the wooden foundation caused by atmospheric dryness-or moisture; considerable noise proceeds therefrom when walked upon, and the materials of which it iscomposed are cold to the feet, being from the expansion, contraction, or-warping of the groundwork upon which it is intended to be laid.

To enable others skilled inthe art to understand and vuse my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawings, A represents a wooden i'looring, or foundation, ove which is smoothly spread a thin layer of cement, a, upon which (snugly litted together) is placed a series of small hexagonal blocks, or sections, B, composed of India rubber, gutta-percha, felt, or compounds of these or any other suitable elastic materials, each block bearing its respective color throughout its entire thickness or substance, so that when worn from constant use, the original design will remain unelaced upon 4the surface of the material covering the floor.

I prefer to employ for this purpose a material known as kamtulicom (which is composed of rubber and cork, rround and incorporated together,) on account of its elasticity, durability, and moderate cost.

The blocks, or sections B are cut from strips ofthe elastic material employed, or they may be moulded iu the desired form, the color being incorporated with the material during the process ofmanufact-ure.

It is evident that the' form, size., and color of the blocks B may be varied, to produce any contigui-ation of design required, and that my improved mosaic covering, besides being used for floors, may also be applied to tables, and other articles where an ornamental and elastic surface is required.

is required'in their construction, which is attended with considerable expense.

Oil-cloth, or canvas carpetings, upon which designs are painted, are also objectionable, on account of their inelasticity and harshness, which cause much noise when walked upon, theirincapacity for imparting warmth to the feet, and chiey because the painted designs are easily det'aced by wear, andthe texture or cloth destroyed when the painted enamel is worn off.

To remedy the abov' -mentionedfobjections and dcfects, and to furnish a mosaic covering, warm to the C, feet, and adapted to any, and especially to wooden Mm' doors in lieu of carpeting, is the purpose of my inven- What I claim as my invention, and-desire to secure tion, which cousistsin a series of elastic sections, blocks, hy Letters Patent, iS- or tiles of various sizes, forms, and colors, composed A covering for` joors, &c., composed of a. series of of India. rubber, gotta-perche, felt, or compounds of elastic blocks, sections, or tiles, substantially as dethese, or any other suitable elastic materials, each scribed.

block or section bearing its respective color or colors S. H. PEAROE. throughout its entire substance, 4in contradistinction to one having its surface only colored, by which con- Witnesses: v

struction I am enabled, with or without the use of l P. E.TESCHEMACHEB,

N. W. Simms.

cement, to furnish a warm, noiseless, elastic mosaic to inequalities of surface which may exist, or occur, 

